Railroad Quiet Zone

What is a Quiet Zone?

The Federal Railroad Administration requires freight and passenger trains sound horns 20 seconds prior to reaching public crossings, 24 hours a day, to warn motorist and pedestrians that a train is approaching, unless a quiet zone is approved. In a quiet zone, trains must cease the routine sounding of their horns when approaching public crossings. However, train horns may still be used in emergency situations.

About the Project

The Town of Windsor received a fully funded TIGER V federal grant for $3.3 million to complete the Quiet Zone. There are 13 railroad crossings included in the project. Each crossing will receive additional safety equipment like crossing gates, flashing lights, and medians in the center of the street. Once the crossing improvements are approved by the Federal Railroad Administration, the Quiet Zone will go into effect all at the same time.

Timeline

The town was awarded a $3.3 million grant from the Federal Railroad Administration in September 2013, but didn’t receive the funds until September 2014. Construction began in the Fall of 2015 and was completed December 2016. Quiet Zone established on December 27, 2016.

Stay Informed

If you want to keep up to date on the project, sign up for Traffic Alerts on the Town's website. This will give you the latest information on roadwork and you can track the progress of the Quiet Zone project. The Public is encouraged to sign up for traffic alerts at http://www.windsorgov.com/trafficalerts